Tides of Change
by Son Maiden
Summary: Enishi and his father meet a strange woman who will pull them into mystery, danger, and murder.


Tides of Change

By Son Maiden Chapter I

Authoress' Note: This is the first story I completed that I felt comfortable posting on the internet. I am a recovering Schizophrenic and my disease has taken its toll. It, among others thing, took away my writing ability. Thankfully, the medicine has given it back. So, I hope you enjoy this and I appreciate any criticism you can offer.

Disclaimer: I don't own Rurouni Kenshin or any of its characters. I wrote this story purely for my own enjoyment and not for any profit. So please, don't sue me. Thank you.

Plot: Enishi and his father meet a strange woman who will pull them into mystery, danger, and murder.

BEGIN SCENE

Five months. It had been five months since he stumbled into the village. Since then, his father had been departing pieces of "wisdom" here and there. He found his father annoying a lot of the time, but (although he hated to admit it) his father was right most of time.

Speaking of being right, Enishi had been told the truth about his beloved sister. If anyone but his father had told him, then he would have silenced them. Still, he couldn't come to terms with it. Even after reading Tomoe's diary, he still couldn't accept it.

And he wouldn't. How does one accept that they were wrong about a decade's old grudge? Realistically, that just didn't happen. Still, his father was continually and indirectly trying to get him to come to terms. Enishi didn't wish him luck.

Speaking of his father, where was the old geezer? He hadn't seen him for hours. True, his father usually disappeared for hours at time to help someone else. He was always trying to save someone. It was annoying.

Enishi heard his father's voice in the distant. He was talking to someone. Sure enough, his father came walking around the corner with his hand on someone's arm. Enishi rolled his eyes. Must he save everyone?

Then, Enishi realized with horror who, or rather what, was with his father. The western style dress was covered in mud and torn in several places. The woman's face was covered with blood and her skin was pale. Still, there was no mistaking it. His father had found a lost white woman.

She was probably the first white person in the village. Was he out of his mind? If anyone saw her come in, then the white men would start lynching them one by one. There's no way that she would have been let into the compound. No way without his father's input that is. Enishi sighed.

One look in the woman's hazel eyes and you could tell that she was broken. In that respect, she was no different than the rest of the residents of the village. She looked as lost as he did and he wondered briefly what had led her here.

Enishi watched his father interact with her. He tried to speak to her in Japanese, but she looked as if she didn't understand most of what he was saying. Typical. Most white people never bothered to learn any language but their own.

Enishi then heard something that surprised him. The woman started talking in Mandarin. She was asking him what his name was and thanking him for letting her in the village. Enishi blinked at the happy expression on his father's face. Then, his father turned his smile on Enishi.

Enishi looked around for an escape. He knew that look. His father wanted his help. The old man was more trouble than he was worth. Enishi had to get away. It was too late, however, and his father brought the woman over to him.

"Will you translate for this young lady?" he asked.

Enishi glared at him.

His father turned to her and said, "My name is Geezer and this is my son, Enishi. You're welcome here."

Reluctantly, Enishi translated for him and the woman gave a funny look when he said his father's name.

"I'm Ana," she responded. "Thank you."

Her voice wasn't quiet but it was lower than the normal speaking tone. Her Mandarin was quite good, but she had a heavy accent. But that wasn't what he noticed about her the most.

She met their eyes, but didn't really look at them. She seemed alive and yet dead at the same time. Enishi didn't know her story, but he had a feeling he would soon. His father really was annoying that way.

SCENE

His father was tiring. He had taken the white woman under his wing. He made sure that the other men left her alone and that she was taken care of. She had been here one month so far and it was trying Enishi's patience.

Recently, his father had even gotten hold of an English phrase book to speak to her. Enishi on the other hand hadn't actually had a conversation with her but once. That was over what they were having for dinner. He merely translated for her.

Enishi, however, had gotten angry very fast with having to translate for them all the time. This is what had made his father get an English phrase book in the first place. It was the one thing he brought home that Enishi liked.

Meanwhile, being around Japanese speakers all the time had caused Ana to start speaking the language herself. After two months, she could now say words and point to things. She could also say random phrases like "how are you" and "nice to see you again".

All this irritated Enishi, but at least he got some decent food out of the deal. It turns out that the little white woman had money. Lots of it apparently. Still, she choose to be in the village rather than leave. If Enishi had the money, then he would be a five star hotel by now. He didn't understand why she was here.

At least that meant his father no longer had to beg in the streets for food though. Enishi himself had refused to beg anything from anybody, so that left his father to do it. Every day his father would go beg for food in town. It turns that his father knew where to go and they usually had something decent to eat at dinner. Now, however, they had food all the time.

Enishi sighed. He was currently sitting in what his father called "his corner". He spent most of his time reading over Tomoe's diary here. It was the corner between two shacks that were not occupied. More often than naught, he just slept here, so he never had to leave his spot. All this combined meant that he hardly ever saw the people his father "rescued".

Turning to his left, he saw his father sit down next to him. His father started droning on about the weather and what some of the other village occupants were doing. Then, the topic drifted to the mysterious white woman. Enishi wasn't really listening.

Suddenly, another pair of footsteps drew Enishi's attention. They were light, but not graceful. Looking up, Enishi first saw a pair of heeled Western style boots. He didn't have to guess to figure out who their new guest was. He doubted any of the men would be wearing heels.

Looking at her face, Enishi blinked. Her eyes were red and swollen. It was obvious that she had been crying. Enishi suddenly wanted of here. Now.

Sure enough, tears streamed down the woman's face. Still, she refused to give into them entirely. It wasn't until his father went to hold her that she let lose the dam. Damn.

Enishi was still sitting down while the two were standing. Standing up, he went to leave. He didn't have time for this. Granted, he had nothing else to do but read Tomoe's diary, but still. He didn't want to stick around for this.

As he left, he heard the woman's voice telling his father something. Soon, their voices were too far away to hear anything else though. Finding another spot, Enishi sat down and began reading again. Looking up, he saw a familiar sight.

His sister was frowning as usual. What did he have to do to bring back her smile? He didn't know. So, in a sad state he began to read again.

SCENE

Another month had passed since the horrible crying instance. He hadn't seen the woman break down since then, but he really wasn't around her much. Despite his absence, he had learned though her father that her name was Ana. Enishi still didn't know why a white woman appeared in the village covered in blood, but he had bigger problems to worry about.

Enishi was hungry. Where was his dinner? Usually, Ana would cook something about now. Slightly aggravated, Enishi got up from his usual moping spot to look for his two unwanted providers.

He decided to search the little hut his father called a home. It was a poor excuse for a shack, but it was where his father slept at night. He had no futon, so he slept in some blankets on the floor. It used to be just his father, but now their house was home to the white woman too. From what he had heard, it seemed that his father had pretty much given the house over to her.

Opening the flimsy door, he was greeted by a unique sight. The white woman was now out of her old western style dress and in a Japanese kimono. Looking closer, he saw that she had painted her eyes with a pencil, so they had a more slanted look. Her skin was tan from being out in the sun all the time and her lips were chapped a lovely red. She looked like the other Japanese women in the village now.

The dirt was gone and he could see her face clearly now. Her straight ebony locks were flowing freely down to her waist and her hazel eyes were highlighted blue in by her kimono. Her body, which was clearly visible now, was full figured. Enishi took a moment to admire her. Cleaned up, she was actually quite a beauty.

It was again her eyes that he noticed the most though. They were no longer broken and lost. They had fire and passion in them again. From what he had seen in the past, that meant two things. One: his father had worked his magic and helped heal her withered soul. Two: She was ready to leave the village soon and be on her way. It was about damn time too.

Seeing Enishi enter, she greeted him.

"I have something for you," she said in Mandarin.

"I do speak English," he replied in her language.

"I know your father told me. I'd just thought that you'd prefer Mandarin."

He sat down and she held out a package to him. Suspicious, he took the package and examined it. Shaking it, he then put it in his lap and looked up at her.

"It won't bite. It's just a thank you gift."

"For what?" Enishi asked.

"Not kicking me out. I know that you don't like me."

Enishi answered her with silence.

"You're father said it was just your way."

"Is your Japanese that much improved?" he asked slightly impressed.

"Yes. That and your father's English has improved, too."

"So, what is this?"

"Open it," she said with a smile.

Still suspicious, he complied and tore at the brown packaging. With the packaging pulled back, he could see the item clearly. It was a pair of Japanese white pants and a red shirt.

"You're father pointed it out yesterday in the market. Do you like it?"

Enishi didn't know what to do or to say. No one had really ever gotten him a gift before besides Tomoe. Certainly, no one had ever gotten him a gift before for not kicking them out of somewhere. People usually just stayed clear of the ex-mafia boss.

He looked up at Ana. "It… works." he said finally.

His response was a large and pleased smile. Running a hand through her hair, she a thoughtful look came over her face. She looked like she was debating something.

"Your father talks about you a lot. He says that you like Chinese food?"

He nodded unsure of her motives.

"Good, because I went out and got us some right after your father left."

"Left?"

She nodded. "He said "Back tomorrow" and just left."

Enishi thought about her offer. He had had worst company before and with her new disguise as a Japanese woman she could practically go anywhere with him. He looked her up and down again. Yes, perhaps one evening with her wouldn't be so bad. He took the box of take out that she offered him and began to eat.

"I have a confession to make," Ana said.

He stared at her and paused in mid bite.

"You're father put me up to this. He says that you needed to talk to someone other than him."

Chewing the bite in his mouth, he rolled his eyes as she continued.

"You're father said not to ask you about China or your stay in Tokyo, so I'm afraid I don't know what to talk about."

Enishi shrugged. A thoughtful look came over her face. She looked like she debating something again. It seemed that she really wanted something to talk about.

"So, do you speak any other languages?" she finally asked.

Deciding to impress her, he proudly replied, "French, Russian, and Cantonese."

"Wow. I only know Mandarin and the little bit of Japanese. Did you learn on your own?"

"Yes."

She nodded. "How hard was Cantonese? Because it was very hard for me to learn Mandarin. I still can't spell it."

"About the same."

"Have you ever been to America?"

"No."

"I grew there. In San Francisco to be exact. I grew up right around Chinatown. That's where I learned Chinese. Did you grow up in the city?"

"No."

"So you're a country boy?"

Enishi snorted.

"Okay, so no. You prefer the city then?"

"Yes."

A look of wonder came over her face. "You're father said that you taught yourself swordsmanship. How hard was it?"

Still eating, he replied, "Not very hard. If you're a natural at it."

"Could I learn?"

Enishi shrugged. "Why would you want to?"

"I don't know. I used to see the men in Chinatown practice. I thought it looked fun."

Enishi snorted again. "Swordsmanship is about death. It's about defeating your opponent and nothing more."

She blinked and said, "So, I assume you are good at it then."

"Why?" he asked suspiciously.

"Because you seem to have a cunning mind. I'd bet you'd be good at games of chance, too."

Enishi smirked suddenly. Looking at her, he remarked, "You seem awfully interested in me. Almost like your flirting with me?"

Blinking innocently, she said, "Honestly, no. Your father said that you just seem to talk more about yourself than anything else. Was there something else you wanted to talk about now?"

Intrigued, he said still smirking, "Okay, why are you in the forbidden village?"

A range of barely concealed emotions came over her face.

""Most women who end up in the fallen village are prostitutes," he said winking.

Ana blinked. "Well, I'm definitely not one. I was actually raised as a Quaker."

"What's a Quaker?"

"Peace-loving Christians."

Enishi, in a mocking tone, replied, "Most peace lovers are fools."

"Oh, I didn't say that I was still one. I'm far from it actually."

"Okay, then what are you?" he asked not letting the subject go.

"You won't believe me," she said.

"Try me, sweetheart."

"I'd rather not say."

"Does my peace loving father know?"

"Yes, he does."

"Then, why not tell me?"

"Why not tell me about your stay in China and Tokyo?" she countered.

He glared at her. "That topic is off limits."

"So, is mine." she said leveling a glare at him.

Enishi's eyes widened. Did she just glare at him? Did this little white woman just glare at him; an ex-mafia boss? He marveled. With a sly smile, he decided to see what else he could get her to do.

"Why what did you do, off someone?"

She dropped her chopsticks.

"What? Did someone steal your high heels, sweetheart?" he asked jokingly.

She looked down at the table.

"Or did they love and leave you?" he asked with a sly smile.

Looking up with fire blazing in her eyes, she whispered, "They killed my father."

He paused.

"You're serious."

She said nothing, but kept glaring.

He sat back in his chair. So, this little creature had killed someone. Actually, from the sound of it; it may be more than one person. A smirk came across his face and he marveled at her. Maybe she wasn't as boring as he thought.

It had been months since he had been able to manipulate anyone. She was a calm woman, but she was fun to play with. He looked her up and down again. If he couldn't play with her in the way he wanted to, then why not play with her mind.

"So, how young did you start fighting?" she said trying to change the subject.

"No, no. That's two questions, not one, sweetheart. If you get two, then so do I."

"Okay, fair enough."

Game set.

"So, who'd you off?"

Rolling her eyes, she said, "I am not giving you names. You would turn me in just as a joke."

He grinned. It seemed that she wasn't so stupid after all. First piece played.

"Besides, if I tell you, then I get to hear about someone you killed."

His face faltered. His piece was countered.

"You're the white tiger, right? The villagers may not tell police about each other, but they do gossip."

His eyes narrowed and she glared at him.

"I may appear innocent, but I am not stupid. You're not going to play with my mind, Enishi."

Check mate.

They glared at each other. Neither one was ready to give in. Their standoff began with dinner and lasted through desert. Ana was no longer trying for conversation and Enishi's barely civil attitude was gone.

"Look," Ana finally spoke. "We should at least be civil for your father's sake."

"I don't have to be civil with you."

"Fine." Her voice was still in a monotone, but the fire was evident. "Then, perhaps we shouldn't talk at all to each other on the trip."

"What trip?"

"Your father was going to tell you tonight. He thinks that we should both leave the city. He plans to put us on a train to Nagasaki tomorrow. I'm paying, so the least you can do is be nice while I help you escape."

"Escape?"

"Yes, the police have been poking around, so your father wants us out of here. That's why I'm dressed like this. To blend in."

"Why does he want me to go with you?"

"Because a couple will look less suspicious than two individual killers."

A predatory grin came over his face. "So, you really did kill someone."

"Enishi," she warned.

"How'd you do it?" he asked amused.

Irritated, she said, "Would you really like to know?"

Enishi smiled at her in mock innocence.

"I poisoned their food."

Enishi blanched. He looked down at his meal she had given him. He thought about the meals she had been feeding him for the past few weeks. He growled. Did she…? How dare she try to…!

Breaking the chopsticks in his hand, he said, "You dare to poison me?"

"No," was the sharp answer.

Sticking out her chopsticks, she grabbed a bite of his food. Putting it her lovely red mouth, she chewed and then swallowed. She looked into his eyes.

"See, nothing," she said after a few minutes. "I don't want the son of the man who saved me from rotting in my own self pity dead."

Enishi continued to glare at her.

"So, what do you say about us getting out of here? Do we have a deal?" she asked him.

His face took on an authoritative look. "You're not in charge of the food anymore."

"Fair enough."

SCENE

The whistle sounded as the train's engines roared. People waved goodbye to loved ones as the train pulled away. No one was waving to three occupants in one booth, however. These three occupants were a young man dressed in Japanese clothes, a young beauty, and an older gentlemen with a beard.

Three hours in to their journey the older gentlemen was gazing out at the scenery. The beauty was reading a book and the younger man was sitting up with his eyes closed. A bump caused him to wake from his cat nap and his eyes first focused on the beauty across from him. His father's silent eyes noticed this.

Enishi noticed that Ana was reading something rather unusual. She was reading an English medical book. What woman reads about medicine? He would expect her to read a romance novel or fashion catalog. He didn't expect her to be reading a man's book. Finally, she caught him staring at the book's title.

"I used to be a nursing student," she replied.

Enishi raised an eyebrow. So, she had had a profession at one time. That explained a lot actually. Although it was a woman's profession, he knew that women in professions were usually fiercely independent. They were usually so independent that they hardly ever married. It was lucky that she had money.

That meant something else about her too. She had to be smart. Undoubtedly, she must have used her medical knowledge to commit her crimes. That, and the fact that she had not yet been caught, meant that she had to be at least relatively intelligent.

"My father actually wrote this textbook," she told him proudly. "He wrote a number of textbooks for the Women's hospital in Boston. He was a doctor."

Enishi stared at the two other books that lay on the booth between her and his father. One book was about business and the other was about Japanese customs. He marveled. What need did a woman have with a book on business?

"Why the book on business?" he asked curious.

"I used to run my father's business for him. I… I took a vow that I would never return to nursing again after what I'd done, so I figured I could go into business somehow."

"Business is a man's world, sweetheart," he said intrigued.

'Japanese women run businesses."

"That's true, but they're usually the merchant's wife or kinswoman. I've never heard of any woman going into business for herself."

"Are you saying that we're not smart enough?"

Enishi thought about it. Although his sister never owned a business, but she did make kimonos and sell them. She was very good at it too. That was how his family had made most of their money when he was a child.

"Not necessarily," he said finally. "My sister had a little side business."

"What did she do?"

"She made and sold kimonos to the other samurai women."

Ana looked confused. "I read that samurai women never even went outside the house. How did she own a business?"

"Sister could do as she pleased."

"I assume she was good at it," Ana said smiling.

"She was."

Ana was pleased. She had had a fight with this man just yesterday. She had originally thought that getting him to talk about himself was the way to get him to open up. Maybe, she was talking about the wrong person. Maybe, she should try getting him to talk about his sister?

"You're sister must have been a very strong woman," she stated.

Enishi smiled. "She was."

Meanwhile, Geezer had a big smile on his face. He had been listening to the conversation the whole time. His two travel companions were flittering between Mandarin and English, but he could still tell that their conversation seemed to be civil. He listened and then he heard Tomoe's name mentioned. He saw his son's smile. Looking at Ana, Geezer smiled wider. She had finally gotten it. Enishi could never resist talking about his sister. Ana had found his conversation topic.

Geezer had come home yesterday and heard them arguing inside the hut. He didn't know what was said, but it wasn't pleasant. He had been hoping that the two would get along. He suspected that his headstrong son was making it hard.

Ana and Enishi's conversation continued on about Tomoe. Then after awhile, it took a turn to business. Enishi discovered that she didn't know what type of business she wanted, but she didn't have enough money left to her by her father to start one anyway. Still, when their topic turned to world events, then be became even more impressed. So, Ana was smart after all.

Not wanting to spoil the good mood, Geezer decided that now was the time to take out his gift. He had taken a little money that Ana had offered him and bought it. He hoped that it would give Enishi and Ana something more in common. He had a feeling that they would both like it.

"Look, I have," he said in broken English.

Ana and Enishi stared at the brown package he now held.

"You play," he said.

Ana and Enishi looked at his gift and then each other. Geezer now held an unwrapped wooden chess set. Enishi raised an eyebrow and Ana smiled at him. Thanking Geezer, she took hold of the chess set and turned to Enishi.

"Want to play?" she asked. "It's a good way to pass the time."

He seemed to be debating.

With a sly smile, she added, "Unless you're afraid that you'll lose."

Grinning predatorily, he said, "You're on, sweetheart."

SCENE

The street lamps of Nagasaki were burning like stars in the night. The whole city was lit up. The streets were alive with excitement. The dance halls were crowded and the bars were teeming with patrons.

Women in red, low-cut dresses covered the streets and men flocked around them. A smile was on everyone's face. Some people gambled, some danced, and some drank. Everyone was having a good time though. The city was alive.

In one particular bar sat a red haired beauty. Her companion for the evening was a charming gentleman that she had met many evenings before. Infatuated, the red head had danced most of the night away with him. She now sat hanging on his every word.

So obviously, she accepted his offer to leave with him. Strolling down the streets arm in arm, the red head laid her head on his chest. He smiled down at her and pulled her closer. The red head allowed him to lead her down a nearby alley.

Walking down the alley, a noise caught her attention. Something was rattling in the trash cans. Frightened, she tightened her arms around her protector. Suddenly, a rat ran out of the trash cans. Breathing a sigh of relief, the couple both laughed.

Continuing on their journey, they soon arrived at a lovely apartment deep in the heart of the city. He escorted the lady and spun her up in her arms. Giggling, she bent down and kissed him. Kissing her back, he put his hand in his pocket.

Suddenly, the woman felt a sharp prick in her neck. Pushing him away, she brought her hand to her neck in pain. Looking at him with frightened eyes, she collapsed unable to move. Her eyes widened in horror as his smile was even wider.

Picking her up, the man began to carry her into the bedroom. Unable to fight him, the woman tried to scream, but no sound would come out. Soon, she would wish that she could scream.

END SCENE

Authoress' Note: I really enjoyed writing this, but I do think that my descriptive skills need work. Still, I hope you at least find this interesting. Just a side note, but Ana's personality is based on my Grandmother. She is a brilliant woman who never had to say much to get her point across. Ana's physical appearance is based on Emily Prentiss from Criminal Minds (which I also do not own). Please review and critique!


End file.
